Random stuff

We are dog sitting this week, and have the adorable Chloe gracing us with her silliness. I was trying to take a picture of her, and she stuck her nose literally on the camera lens. She is quick!

Doug baked this yummy Daffodil Cake. It's similar to, but not as simplistic as, an angel food cake. What a pretty springtime cake.

I don't know. Kayaking? Cement sledding? Sled dog? According to Rose they made up a game called Yakki Team, and somehow it involved them and the two neighbor boys and a basketball.

Lunch Lady humor :)

My ears are thankful for spring break.

70's Flashback!

Going through mom's stuff. Came home with the following gem:

We call him/her "Patch". I used to sit and examine the different fabric swatches, trying to decide my favorite. It was purchased, not made by anyone I know. It's a little bowed leg now, because a certain little six year old loves to sit on it like a horse. I think it was meant to be a bed rest thingy.

Here's me in all my 70's glory (although the first one is definitely 60's). Rose commented how much I like yellow because all my clothes are yellow. It actually is still my favorite color:

Recent happenings:

Coming home from an overnight at Auntie's house. Having so much fun is exhausting!

Snow critters...she cracks me up.

I don't trust the weather around here. March is not normally this mild, and I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Have a great week everyone!

Fun Craft Site

A site I often visit has some fun ideas and does reviews of crafting products. Great place to check out new products and see what neat things people are creating. Check it out:

www.crafttestdummies.com

Also, reminder to those in the Minneapolis area, my friend is hosting her 12 hour scrapbooking event to help raise funds to bring a daughter home from China. It is this Saturday, March 20th. Email me for details if you are interested!

How bizzarre, how bizzarre

Learned of an application on my computer that I had no idea was there. It's called Photo Booth, and you can take pictures of yourself. Of course, I had to play with it:

Thermal

Fish

Comic Book (my favorite)

Stretch

X-ray (my least favorite - scary!)

Pop Art

Light Tunnel (fun!)

If you ever use it, try out the "Mirror" effect, you can make some pretty scary faces. I'm not posting that one because it a bit too weird.

I also learned of something rather disturbing, not sure how I feel about it yet. Schools have laptops that get assigned to the kids. Some of them have Photo Booth. Kids have been using it during class time to primp (fix hair, put on makeup, etc.). Some take photos of themselves.

Also, and this should be common knowledge, the administrator can login to manage someone's computer remotely, primarily used to help fix a computer problem without having to go on site. But that means they can also see what the student sees through the camera on the laptop if the Photo Booth application is open.

Of course, they can also see if the student is actually working, what screens they have open, if they are chatting, or playing games, etc. I'm pretty much ok with that as long as the kids know up front, because it's class time and many kids need to be monitored in more ways than one. Knowing that someone can check in on them at any time may keep them from straying.

Scary though because this can be done even if the child brings the laptop home. Apparently one child was caught doing drugs in front of the camera on the laptop. And who knows what other things can be seen through the camera if someone leaves the app open and walks away.

As I'm sitting here typing, I left Photo Booth open, and if Doug wanted to, he could login remotely and look with the camera to see what I'm doing. I could be sitting here naked and he would see it (I'm not!). Of course, I'd notice my screen being manipulated (which he has done before, to freak me out!) and I would know something was about to happen.

Just be sure you know who the administrator of your computer is, and that they have the capability to remotely login and monitor what you are doing (besides other ways to see what you've been doing).

Anywhoo, it's something to think about - in my opinion, there really is nothing private when it comes to computers, and how much is enough as to invasion of privacy and big brother watching? Makes you go Hmmmm.

Afternoon at the Beach

Where is this beach that I visited this afternoon, you might ask?

My backyard.

Laid in a real lawn chair in the sun.

The white sandy beach was actually white glistening, melting snow.

The seagulls were actually sparrows, cardinals and chickadee's.

And that sea creature nearby? Was actually just Peaches the cat sharing my beach moment.

The sound of the surf was the drainpipe next to my head.

39 degrees and sunny does that to a person.

It was actually quite nice!